about us
Vision
Our vision is to have a legal system that provides justice and fairness for women.
Mission
Our mission is to ensure the physical safety, economic security, and autonomy of women throughout Maryland. We work toward this goal by providing direct legal representation, information and referral services, and legislative advocacy.
- A group of law students at the University of Maryland School of Law and young lawyers at the Legal Aid Bureau begin meeting to discuss women’s issues. The Women’s Law Center emerges!
- Stuart v. Board of Elections is filed to allow women to vote using their birth names. One of WLC’s founding members, Gerry Sweeney, is the law clerk to the judge hearing the case and researched the opinion in the Stuart case.
- WLC and the Legal Aid Bureau successfully represent symphony harpist Rosmarie B. Orner, arguing that it is unconstitutional to disqualify pregnant women from receiving unemployment benefits in Orner v. Board of Appeals.
- WLC files an amicus brief in a case challenging the requirement that married women register to vote under their married names.
- Congress passes Equal Rights Amendment and WLC helps fuel the formation of the Governor’s Commission to Study Implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment.
- Legal hotline services begin.
- WLC Articles of Incorporation signed by early activists Susan Tannenbaum, Ann Hoffman, and Kathleen O’Ferral Friedman, establishing the Law Center as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
- Successfully represent female teachers before the Baltimore City School Board in Doerr & Douthrit v. Walton et al, arguing that the requirement for women to take maternity leave at the end of the fifth month of pregnancy was discriminatory.
- Successfully represent a female social worker in her claim against the Maryland Department of Employment and Social Services that its rules on maternity leave were discriminatory.
- Support successful legislation to change Maryland law so that a pregnant woman rendered unable to work by operation of law was then eligible for unemployment benefits.
- Successfully represent female employees of Bethlem Steel in the matter of Beasley v. Bethlem Steel and U.S. Steelworkers of America in a sex discrimination case against the company and union.
- First publication of “Legal Rights in Marriage and Divorce”
- First publication of “Sex Discrimination in Employment: How to Recognize it and What to do About It.”
- First publication of “The Legal Rights of Women in Credit in Maryland.”
- “Battered Women: A Manual for Survival” is published.
- Successfully represents plaintiffs in the matter of Lazarus v. MD, a case of pay parity for substantially equal work.
- WLC successfully represents women in the matter of VJS v. Hughes, a case challenging the Baltimore Police Department’s height and weight requirements.
- Successfully represent female prison guards in Kamka et al v E.E.O.C. et al., a case that balanced their right to employment advancement with the privacy rights of male prisoners.
- “Legal Rights in Marriage and Divorce” and “Legal Rights of Unmarried Cohabitant” published.
- Ann Sjordsma hired as WLC’s first Executive Director, serving in that role from 1981-1983. Ann served on the WLC Board of Directors from 1984-1987, and as Board President from 1985-1986.
- WLC settlement with the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles allows married women to revert to their birth names on their driver’s licenses without obtaining a court order.
- Successfully represent a female nursing assistant challenging Sinai Hospital’s discriminatory treatment of women after maternity leave.
- “Battered- What Can I Do?” and “Sex Discrimination in Employment” published.
- Co-sponsors statewide ERA practical skills workshop for attorneys.
Meet the Team
Hon. Katie Curran O’Malley
Chief Executive Officer
Jessica Morgan
Chief Operations Officer
Suzanne Pérez Ibarrondo
Chief Programs Officer
Sara Powel, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer
Andrea Rafter
Office Manager
Allie Post
Director of Development and Communications
Suzanne Bailey, Esq.
Multi-Ethnic Domestic Violence Project (MEDOVI) Director
Lynette Whitfield, Esq.
Employment Law Hotline Director
Jocelyne Gresock, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Collateral Legal Assistance for Survivors Project (CLAS)
Marissa Caceres, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project (POARP)
Jennifer Stinnette, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project (POARP)
Crystal Mack
Legal Advocate – Carroll County
Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project (POARP)
Elena Martinez Fernandez
Bilingual Legal Advocate
Multi-Ethnic Domestic Violence Project (MEDOVI)
Camran Shealy
Legal Advocate – Baltimore County
Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project (POARP)
Kimberlee Stewart
Legal Advocate
Collateral Legal Assistance for Survivors Project (CLAS)
